This invention relates to masonry walls and, more particularly, to a system for facilitating discharge of moisture from internally to externally of the wall and for providing a weep/vent passageway through the wall.
In constructing masonry walls, provision is generally made to collect and discharge accumulated moisture at the base thereof to the external environment and also to evaporate and discharge internal moisture by inducing air flow in a space, as between a masonry veneer and an external wall. If this moisture is not eliminated, water may accumulate within masonry walls, leading to deterioration of masonry materials or metal embedments, and/or water may cause leakage or moisture problems in the building interior. Many water leakage and moisture problems in buildings are attributable to a failure to adequately discharge moisture from the wall. Even if water does not reach interior spaces, it may account for unwanted internal humidity or may cause structural damage through the promotion of corrosion, rot or mold and mildew.
Weep vents are commonly used and dimensioned to be strategically located between adjacent bricks to provide a path through the masonry wall to promote air circulation. Heretofore, metal, plastic or composite flashings have commonly been used at the base to direct water within the wall back to the exterior. A typical rigid metal flashing section consists of a formed copper, prefinished aluminum, or stainless steel, sheet. A typical plastic or composite flashing consists of a flexible material that conforms to the shape of the supporting elements. The flashing is supported by a foundation, or in the case of masonry above the first floor, by shelf angles or other structural components. The flashing projection may have a downturned lip which directs externally moving water over and past the external face of the masonry wall.
The flashing sections are joined, end-to-end, to form an uninterrupted barrier across the desired wall dimension. Adjacent sections are lapped, one over the other. It is important that this lapped connection be water tight so that moisture does not migrate between the lapped portions and thereby bypass the flashing system. Conventionally, to leakproof this joint, a waterproof adhesive or sealant is utilized. However, this lapped joint arrangement and the use of a waterproof adhesive have a number of drawbacks.
First of all, it is difficult to consistently create watertight flashing joints. Adhesives adhere effectively only to dry and clean surfaces. Accordingly, the surfaces to be adhered may have to be prepared before the application of the adhesive, which represents an inconvenience and added worker time. Also, many of the materials used in conjunction with masonry or other wall systems generate dust. This makes it very difficult to maintain a clean environment for the application of adhesives or sealants.
Still further, the construction may take place in an environment, or on days, where moisture is present, making it all but impossible to properly prepare the mating surfaces for the use of the adhesive. As a consequence, the integrity of the joint between one or more of the sections may be compromised, as a result of which water may leak into the interior or contribute to deterioration of the wall system. Repair of flashing failures may be very expensive because it often involves demolition of all or a part of the masonry wall to repair flashings.
Additionally, the need to apply an adhesive or sealant on site is inherently inconvenient. Supplies of the adhesive or sealant must be kept on hand, usually in sealable containers or in tubes. Most adhesives and sealants have limited shelf life and must be discarded after the expiration date. At the time of the application, the containers must be opened and some applying instrument must be utilized, as in the form of a brush or spreading knife. Aside from this inconvenience, adhesive inevitably detrimentally finds its way onto the workers"" hands and clothing and potentially onto exposed portions of the building, which must then be cleaned.
Because the adhesives are not only messy but may be caustic, it is common for workers applying the adhesive to use gloves. With gloves worn, it may be more difficult for the workers to conveniently handle the sections and to effectively apply the adhesive and establish a leakproof joint between adjacent sections.
A second problem can occur when installing short lengths of flashings above openings. These flashings should be constructed with turned up portions at the ends to prevent water from flowing off the ends and remaining within the walls. Installation of these xe2x80x9cend damsxe2x80x9d can present problems. If the edge of the flashing projects beyond the face of the wall, it can be unsightly. If it does not project fully to the face, water reaching the flashing can flow around the front edge of the end dam and, as a result, remain within the wall.
In one form, the invention is directed to the combination of: a) a first water collection section for a masonry wall having a first bottom wall, a first back wall, and a first side wall bounding a first collection space; b) a second water collection section for a masonry wall having a second bottom wall, a second back wall, and a second side wall bounding a second collection space; and c) a first connector for joining the first and second water collection sections to maintain the first and second water collection sections in an operative relationship.
The first connector may be separate from each of the first and second water collection sections.
In one form, the first connector defines a venting passageway.
In one form, with the first and second water collection sections in the operative relationship, the first and second side walls are adjacent to each other. Each of the first and second side walls has an upper edge and the first connector straddles the first and second side wall sections at the upper edges of the first and second side walls.
In one form, the first water collection section is reconfigurable selectively between an operative state and a collapsed state. The first water collection section is reconfigured from the operative state towards the collapsed state by folding the first side wall and first back wall downwardly towards the first bottom wall.
There may be a hinge line between the first side wall and first bottom wall and between the first back wall and first bottom wall to facilitate relative folding between the first bottom wall, the first side wall, and the first back wall.
The combination may further include a diverting connector which extends around the upper edges of the first and second back walls with the first and second water collection sections in the operative relationship and the diverting connector in an operative position.
In one form, the diverting connector has an upwardly facing surface which bridges the first and second side walls with the first and second water collection sections in the operative relationship and the diverting connector in the operative position. The diverting connector diverts downwardly moving water from passage between the first and second side walls.
The combination may further include a sheet layer which depends from a location above the first and second water collection sections and extends in front of the diverting connector to a location below the upper edges of the first and second back walls to direct downwardly moving water towards the first and second water collection sections.
In one form, at least a portion of the sheet layer terminates above the upwardly facing surface of the diverting connector so that downwardly moving water is directed by the sheet layer to against the upwardly facing surface of the diverting connector.
In one form, a portion of the first connector overlies the upwardly facing surface of the diverting connector.
The first connector may have a wall with a solid upwardly facing surface which bridges the upper edges of the first and second side walls to block passage of downwardly moving water to between the first and second side walls.
In one form, the first connector has a plurality of vertically spaced surfaces at the front thereof. The vertically facing surfaces may decline from rear to front.
In one form, the diverting connector has a front wall which vertically spans substantially the entire, or a part of, the vertical extent of the first and second back walls and a U-shaped upper portion which wraps around the upper edges of the first and second back walls with the first and second water collection sections in the operative relationship and the diverting connector in the operative position.
The, upwardly facing surface on the diverting connector may terminate at an upturned flange.
The first water collection section may be made from at least one of plastic, metal, composite material, or the like.
In one form, the first water collection section has a third side wall which is spaced from the first side wall.
In one form, the first side wall has a first flat surface and the third side wall has a third flat surface and the first and third flat surfaces are substantially parallel to each other.
In one form, the first bottom wall has a front and rear and a downwardly bent lip at the front of the bottom wall.
In one form, the bottom wall has a downwardly bent lip defining a forward edge, the first side wall has a lower portion, and the lower potion of the first side wall projects forwardly to or beyond the forward edge of the downwardly bent lip.
The first connection may have a projecting nose that extends over and conceals the lower portion of the first side wall that projects forwardly to or beyond the forward edge of the downwardly bent lip.
In one form, with the first and second water collection sections in the operative relationship, the first and second side walls are spaced from each other by a predetermined distance.
The first connector has a body defining a receptacle with a width that is slightly greater than the predetermined distance.
The combination may further include a plurality of masonry elements fixed to each other within the first collection space.
In one form, the combination includes a plurality of masonry elements fixed to each other within the second collection space. The body of the first connector has a width. The masonry elements are spaced from each other by a second predetermined distance in each of the first and second collection spaces. The first connector resides between a masonry element in the first collection space and a masonry element in the second collection space and the width of the body of the first connector is substantially equal to the second predetermined distance.
In one form, the diverting connector is made from at least one of plastic and metal.
The diverting connector has a front wall which may have an opening therethrough.
In one form, the diverting connector has a horizontally extending wall portion defining the upwardly facing surface and the front wall has at least one flange which reinforces the horizontally extending wall on the diverting connector.
In one form, the flange bounds the opening formed through the front wall portion on the diverting connector.
The invention is also directed to a method of forming a water collection structure for installation at the bottom of a masonry wall. The method includes the steps of: placing first and second water collection sections, each having a bottom wall and a wall structure extending upwardly from the bottom wall, in an operative relationship at a location at which masonry elements are to be placed; and press-fitting a first connector to the first and second water collection sections to thereby maintain the first and second water collection sections in the operative relationship.
The method may further include the step of press-fitting a second connector to the first and second water collection sections so that the second connector diverts downwardly moving water so as not to pass between and under the first and second water collection sections.
The second connector may be press fit by direction downwardly against the wall structure.
The first connector may be press fit by direction downwardly against the wall structure.
The method may further include the step of reconfiguring the first water collection section prior to press-fitting the first connector to the first and second water collection sections.
In one form, the first water collection section has an operative state and a collapsed state and the first connector is press fit to the first water collection section with the first water collection section in the operative state. The first water collection section is changeable from the operative state towards the collapsed state by folding the wall structure downwardly toward the bottom wall.
The step of reconfiguring may involve changing the first water collection section from the collapsed state into the operative state.
The method may include the step of shipping a plurality of water collection sections, having the same configuration as the first water collection section, to a site at which the masonry wall is to be constructed, with the plurality of water collection sections in the collapsed state and stacked one against the other.
In one form, no separate fasteners or adhesives are used to maintain the first connector and either the first or second water collection sections together.
The invention is also directed to the combination of a first water collection section for a masonry wall having a first bottom wall, a first back wall, and a first side wall bounding a first collection space, and a first connector for engaging the first side wall and joining the first water collection section to another water collection section to maintain the first and another water collection sections in an operative relationship. The first bottom wall has a downturned lip defining a forward edge. The first side wall has a lower portion projecting forwardly to or beyond the forward edge of the downwardly bent lip. The connector has a projecting nose which covers the lower portion of the first side wall projecting forwardly to or beyond the forward edge of the downwardly bent lip.